Steam and hydrotherapy system and apparatus



Aug. 26, 1969 J, HALONEN STEAM AND HYDROTHERAPY SYSTEM AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Filed March 28, 1967 JNVENTOR JOSEPH HA L ONE N I FIG.

ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1969 J. HALONEN 3,463,150

I STEAM AND HYDROTHERAPY SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed March 28. 1967 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

FIG. 2 43 INVENTOR JOSEPH HALO/VEW LZMW A 9 MM ATTORNEY US. Cl. 128-368 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus having a vessel for containing hot water; a seat member; means on said seat member for registering same with respect to said vessel; and a steam opening 111 said member.

The invention relates to a steam and hydrotherapy treatment system for personal use by individual patients in the home and also by small clinics.

Hydrotherapy systems are generally characterized by relatively massive permanent or immovable fixture requiring professional installation and plumbing such as are suitable only for use in large treatment centres or nursing homes. However, it is apparent that the majority of the patients undergoing treatment do not require special care or hospitalization and are therefore capable of undergoing treatment at home, or locally, without the need for the expense of attending a large treatment centre.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a steam and hydrotherapy treatment system which is economical to build, portable and storable in the home, and which requires no special fixtures or installations.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system having the foregoing advantages which incorporates both a stiz bath and a steam chair which are nestable for storage and further incorporating an interchangeable seat member for use in both.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a steam and hydrotherapy treatment apparatus comprising; a stool including a bottom, top and side wall structures defining a steam chamber; said too structure being formed with an opening for the emission of steam therethrough; a vessel adapted to contain hot water removably positionable in said steam chamber to have a hole through which steam is emitted therefrom in alignment with said opening in the top structure; a sliding panel which removably carries said vessel, and is movably mounted by said stool to be movable between a position wholly within the steam chamber and another position in which the vessel is outside the steam chamber; an ap ertured seat member for a patient undergoing treatment removably mounted on said top structure with the aperture therein in alignment with said opening; and means for restraining the said seat member against transverse movement of relative to the top structure when mounted thereon for maintaining the said alignment of the top structure opening and the seat member aperture.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which like references devices refer to like parts thereof throughout the various views and diagrams, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the steam chair according to the invention, and showing the interchangeable seat portion;

FIGURE 2 is a lower perspective view of the interchangeable seat portion; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the sitz bath showing the interchangeable seat portion therein.

From FIGURF. 1 it will be seen that this preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a chair or stool hav atettt st a' ice ing a top 11. side walls 12 and legs 13 extending downwardly therefrom. Side walls 12 surround on three sides a steam chamber indicated generally as 14 having one open side, the upper end of said chamber 14 being enclosed by top 11 and being further enclosed at its lower end by fixed bottom portions 15 attached to the interior I of side walls 12 and legs 13 parallel to one another on either side of chamber 14 and defining a space therebetween. Sliding tray 16 is dimensioned to fit between portions 15 and fill the space therebetween and is provided with edge grooves 17 engaging the exposed side edges of portions 15 for slidably supporting tray 16. A pair of doors 18 are hingedly mounted on side walls 12 for completing the open side of chamber 14, which may be provided with any suitable retaining catch (not shown).

Top 11 of chair 10 is provided with a centrally located steam vent hole 19 and a set of retaining rails or ribs 20 defining a substantially square outline or perimeter, the

centre of which is co-axial with the central axis of hole 19.

A vessel 21 is provided for placing a quantity-of hot water or liquid in chamber 14, and is dimensioned to fit therewith as shown in FIGURE 1. Vessel 21 is preferably formed with a carrying handle 22, a drip tray or rim 23 surrounding the open mouth 24 and angled to catch any droplets of condensed steam or water vapor and carry the same back into the vessel. Vessel 21 may optionally be provided with a conventional electrical heating element (not shown) which may incorporate two separate elements and a thermostatic switch so as to provide high and low heating levels for initial fast heating followed by prolonged maintenance of a predetermined temperature if desired. in the case of lengthy treatments and connected by a plug 25 and a thermometer 26 to facilitate accurate use of the equipment. Support bars 27 are fastened to sliding tray 16 for locating vessel 21 in predetermined location precisely vertically beneath hole 19 and with its open mouth 24 vertically axially aligned therewith.

The interchangeable seat member is indicated generally by reference 30 and comprises side portions 31 and back portions 32 defining substantially a U-shape seat opening 33 in plan, and having bevelled inner side edges 34 provided therearound for comfort. Four corner abutment members 35 are provided located along the four sides of a rectangle. Recessed portions 36 are provided between abutment members 35 on three sides of seat member 30 for ease of handling. Side support ribs 37 are located on the underside of seat member 30 attached to side portions 31 for resting on retaining rails 20 and foot members 38 extend downwardly therefrom to fit within rails 20 and retain seat member 30 against displacement.

In order to constitute a complete system for an integrated course of hydrotherapy treatment the sitz bath unit shownin FIGURE 2 is provided having a base 40, side walls 41 and front and back walls 42, meeting at angled corners 43 and sloping outwardly from base 40 to permit a sitting posture therein. The interchangeable seat member 30 is designed for use with the bath unit to support the user above base 40. In this case. seat unit 30 rests 7 upon foot member 38 and is located and retained within the bath unit by'engagement of abutment members 35 with corners 43 which are dimensioned to make a good fit therewith. Handle means 44 are provided for lifiting the bath unit for storage. In addition, the spring of walls 41 and 42 is arranged to accommodate stool 10 there within when lain on its side to save space when not in use. I

In operation, water at a predetermined temperature will be placed in either vessel 21 or in the sitz bath unit of FIGURE 2 and the seat member 30 is placed 'in position foruse. Alternatively the .watcrmay itself be'heated in the vessel 21 and maintained at a predetermined treatment temperature for a desired period of treatment.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is here made by way of example only. The invention is not to be construed as limited to any of the specific features described but comprehends all such variations as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A steam and hydrotherapy treatment apparatus comprising; a stool including a bottom, top and side wall structures defining a steam chamber, said top structure being formed with an opening for the emission of steam therethrough; a vessel adapted to contain hot water removably positionable in said steam chamber to have a hole through which steam is emitted therefrom in alignment with said opening in the top structure; a sliding panel which removably carries said vessel, and is movably mounted by said stool to be movable between a position wholly within the steam chamber and another position in which the vessel is outside the steam chamber; an apertured seat member for a patient undergoing treatment removably mounted on said top structure with the aperture therein in alignment with said opening; and means for restraining the said seat member against transverse movement relative to the top structure when mounted thereon for maintaining the said alignment of the top structure opening and the seat member aperture.

2. Steam and hydrotherapy treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side wall structure includes a pair of hingedly mounted doors providing access to said steam chamber.

3. Steam and hydrotherapy treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said restraining means comprise downwardly-extending members on the underside of the seat member engaging with cooperating upwardly-extending members on the upper surface of the said top structure.

4. Steam and hydrotherapy treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and comprising in addition thereto a sitz bath structure in which the said seat member is adapted to be removably positionably spaced from the bath structure bottom, the bath structure comprising 'means for restraining the seat member against transverse movement relative to the bottom when positioned thereon.

5. Steam and hydrotherapy treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and comprising in addition thereto a sitz bath structure in which the said seat member is adapted to be removably positionably spaced from the bath structure bottom, the bath structure comprising means for restraining the seat member against transverse movement relative to the bottom when positioned thereon, the last-mentioned restraining means being constituted by transversely-extending .abutment members of the seat member engageable in respective corner portions of the bath structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 345,890 7/l886 Parson 4-135 XR 427,807 5/1890 Stolp 4-165 FOREIGN PATENTS 128,041 2/ 1902 Germany.

19,620 1899 Great Britain.

LAWRENCE W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4-l65 

